The labor-agitator proved quite a good man.
He had, it is true, no memory, and caused them to waste much time in reading over the minutes of previous meetings.

But he was in earnest, and proved to be perfectly reasonable as soon as he found that the commissioners' duties were to inquire and not to make speeches.

Peter walked home with him several times, and they spent evenings together in Peter's rooms, talking over the evidence, and the possibilities.
Peter met a great many different men in the course of the inquiry; landlords, real-estate agents, architects, engineers, builders, plumbers, health officials, doctors and tenants.

In many cases he went to see these persons after they had been before the Commission, and talked with them, finding that they were quite willing to give facts in private which they did not care to have put on record.
He had been appointed the Secretary of the Food Commission, and spent much time on that work.

He was glad to find that he had considerable influence, and that Green not merely acted on his suggestions, but encouraged him to make them.